cmrcmk":6ktzg6t1 said:
Hey Tom, you should know that this thread is still helping people out all these years later.
Thank you. I'm appreciative of the many people that came before me that documented their builds.
cmrcmk":6ktzg6t1 said:
Do you have any hindsight wisdom for those of us gearing up to do a build? You know, things you wish you had done but didn't, things you did but regret, things that you now know could have been done a lot easier?
A few things come to mind:
1. I would use a different method for sealing the hatch - either the Steve Frederick style or the way Len sealed his hatches:
http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?p=1045874#p1045874. I used the standard, non-offset hurricane hinge. The potential weakness of this method is how to seal the end areas below the hinge at the hatch to sidewall junction. For years I did not have any moisture intrusion, but this year I had my first leak in this location even with installing rain diverters and extending the hurricane hinge beyond the sidewall. I have since placed a small weatherseal and hope this has solved the issues.
2. I made my own doors for aesthetic reasons. While I got the look I wanted, door construction was hugely time-consuming and expensive. I would suggest using pre-made doors.
3. The PetCool HVAC and ducting was "built-in" to the tongue box and TD. When the PetCool died, no standard window unit could be retrofitted. I would suggest "hacking" a window unit HVAC and ducting it through hatch ports into the TD when needed for high temperatures.
4. My TD is 4' tall. Originally I was going to build foot wells so there would be a place to sit upright during inclement weather. The A-frame interfered with the location of the foot wells. Instead I would suggest building 5' tall and use a tri-fold mattress that converts into a couch so that you can sit upright if the weather isn't cooperating.
5. My electrical system is overly complex with both 120v AC and 12v DC. We do not boon-dock camp; everywhere we go has electricity. I would use a simple 120v AC system as Caseydog posted:
http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?p=692209#p692209 and forgo the 12v DC system altogether. If you need a 12-volt system, and you don't store your teardrop where you can keep power to it to maintain a battery charge, I would use a removable battery and keep it charged at home. I would also consider using the battery powered stick on lights instead of hard-wiring lighting.
6. Building upon #2, #3 and #5 above, my TD in general is overly complex. Most of this was intentional. I wanted to stretch my fabrication abilities. Another reason is that my stepson passed away just prior to starting the build. The build complexity, and the build itself, served as a diversion as I mentally and emotionally processed his death. I still would use insulated wall and roof construction. Instead of building an insulated floor, I would use solid plywood but add 3/4" thick foam exercise tiles on the interior to serve as insulation and to provides some cushioning. For interior storage, instead of building interior face frame cabinets and doors, I would use plywood cubby holes with stretch mesh to secure contents. I would also be tempted to do the same in the galley. Lastly, my build profile has many curves. This greatly added to the challenge of building. I would recommend a design like the generic Benroy instead. This design still looks good, is much more efficient with space utilization, and would be easier to build than a complex design.
Please forgive my long-winded response.
Take care,
Tom
PS - We still have the Silver Beatle, but recently my wife and I joined the "dark side" in that we purchased a 2014 "couple" sized travel trailer. My wife retired in July and I will retire in December 2020. We plan to use the TD on weekend outings and the travel trailer for longer trips. While the travel trailer is better constructed than most, it still has typical issues. I've already created a list of repairs and upgrades for the trailer and will begin those this weekend.
